


I'm Okay

by LuxAve



Series: Let's Be Okay [3]
Category: Big Hero 6 (2014)
Genre: Canon Divergence, some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-16
Updated: 2015-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-09 14:56:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4353287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuxAve/pseuds/LuxAve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"He realized he made a mistake the second the front doors to the Showcase Hall closed behind him and a piece of ceiling fell from above, blocking most of the way out....'You made a mistake, Tadashi.' Was all the teacher said as the older male put on Tadashi’s little brother’s neurotransmitter and commanded the Microbots to shield himself from the fire...And unfortunately, he was right."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I re-ordered the series this is placed in. We're Okay has been placed after this story. (but you don't need to read it in that order)

**I’m Okay**

 

**Chapter One**

 

He realized he made a mistake the second the front doors to the Showcase Hall closed behind him and a piece of ceiling fell from above, blocking most of the way out. He thought for a split second, quickly analyzing the piece of building for anything actually burning, if it weren’t he’d pull it away from the door and run back out.

 

When he didn’t see anything on fire, he reached towards it and a second too late found out that while the piece wasn’t on fire, it was still very hot to the touch. He pulled his hand away quicker than he ever thought he’d get his hand to move, and cradled it to his chest.  

 

He stumbled away from the hot material and further into the building. His heart was beating hard in his chest, trying to fight it’s way out of his ribcage like how he was trying to find his way through the burning building. He wasn’t stupid; obviously, he knew where all the emergency doors were, emergency exits and fire extinguishers. He looked through the thick, dark smoke as he tried to map out what exit was closest and safest to run to, forgetting his original reason for running into the building, forgetting all about trying to help his professor.

 

What was he thinking anyway? Callaghan was a very wise and able man, he’s fought in wars overseas, being a military man when he was younger; getting out of a building, one that’s practically just one giant room with little obstacles, on fire would be almost nothing of a challenge for the man.

 

Tadashi on the other hand could barely handle running the mile in high school and wasn’t really one for any kind of workout, probably wouldn’t get out of the building completely unscathed.

 

He took off running when he finally found an almost clear path to a side door; jumping over small patches of burning furniture and robot projects. He almost got knocked out when a support beam fell from above, nearly landing on top of him, managing to scrape his left side. He hissed in pain as he stepped back and tripped over a partially melted chair.

 

“Shit.” He lay there for a few seconds, looking at his now bleeding arm. He pushed himself up with his good arm and stood back up.

 

When he was at his full height again, he looked up and  saw Callaghan standing a couple yards away, and Callaghan saw him at the same time.

 

Brown eyes were hopeful and slightly relieved, yet frightened. Blue eyes were burning with rage hotter and brighter than the fire around them.

 

“You made a mistake, Tadashi.” Was all the teacher said as the older male put on Tadashi’s little brother’s neurotransmitter and commanded the Microbots to shield himself from the fire.

 

 _Focus, Hamada!_ Tadashi scolded himself as he forced himself to climb over the burning beam, further burning his hand, and made a run for the emergency exit that was now within sight, just behind Callaghan. He began to stumble, beginning to be too weak to actually run, through the flames. When he was just feet away from the door, he reached out for the no doubt scorching hot metal of the push bar.

 

Just as his fingers brushed up against the handle, something wrapped around his leg and pulled it out from under him. When he hit the ground, it started pulling him away from the door.

 

“No!” He scrabbled at the floor in a petty attempt to pull himself away from whatever was wrapped around half the length of his leg. “Let go!” He grabbed onto a still standing support pole, and turned to look over his shoulder at what was grabbing him, even though he had a hunch as to what it was.

 

And unfortunately, he was right.

 

Microbots.

 

His professor was keeping him from getting out of a burning building, using his little brother’s genius invention.

 

His genius little brother, the same little brother he just pulled himself from to save a man who needed more saving than Tadashi could offer.

 

“Let me go!” Tadashi yelled, voice hoarse from the smoke, over the blaring alarms that had yet to be melted by flame and heat. He started trying to pry the little robots off his legs, but he wasn’t fazing them.

 

“You’ve seen too much, Mister Hamada.” Callaghan responded when the younger male was pulled into the protective bubble.

 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” The scared twenty-one year old yelped as more Microbots scurried over his eyes, blinding him, and over his mouth, cutting off anything else he was going to say.

 

Then everything just stopped; he didn’t feel anything, he didn’t hear anything.

 

(---)

 

He attempted to open his eyes but they were too heavy for him to do so at the moment, so he settled to listening to what was going on around him.

 

It was almost perfectly quiet except for the low sound of people whispering.

 

“ _What was I supposed to do?”_ A strangely familiar voice yelled in hushed tones. _“He_ saw _me take the transmitter, he_ saw _me put it on.”_

 

Tadashi was trying so hard to put a name to the voice, but it wasn’t coming to him.

 

 _“So, what are we going to do?”_ Another vaguely familiar voice responded. “ _We’re not going to hurt him, right? We both agreed we weren’t going to hurt anybody.”_

 

There was a pause in a reply from the first person.

 

“ _Robert, we said we weren’t hurting anyone.”_ The second person reiterated.

 

“ _I know, I know.”_ The first voice huffed.

 

Why did that voice sound so unbelievably familiar in his mind? Why did they _both_ seem to ring a bell? Robert? Did he know a Robert? He started mentally listing names in his head of people he knew of with the name Robert. De Niro, Downey Jr. – no, no, those were actors; there was this kid named Rob Tadashi knew in middle school – but he moved away _I wonder what he’s up to now. Focus Hamada! Who’s Robert?_ The name was on the tip of his tongue, like a blurry image in front of someone’s face, slowly, slowly, slowly getting clearer and sharper. Robert… Last name began with a C, he was pretty sure of it. _Callaghan!_

 

Robert Callaghan.

 

And it all came flying back into his mind. The showcase, the fire, the look Hiro gave Tadashi as he pulled out of his grip, more fire, and Callaghan. Callaghan using Hiro’s genius invention; Callaghan using Hiro’s genius invention to keep Tadashi from running out and ruining whatever the professor was planning.

 

 _“Well, then what are we going to do?”_ The second voice said, the voice Tadashi still couldn’t place.  It was familiar, but only faintly so, like maybe Tadashi had only heard the person talk a few times in person or something.

 

Callaghan didn’t respond for a minute, probably thinking. _“We should see where this goes. We may need him for something, we never know.”_

 

There was a loud noise, sounds of something slamming or falling onto the ground, Tadashi didn’t know, his eyes were still closed; but when the noise rang through his head, he let out a pained groan.

 

The whispering promptly stopped and he could feel the eyes of Callaghan and whoever, _burning_ into him.

 

Tadashi didn’t dare make another sound, or attempt to move. He was honestly too afraid to.

 

You think you know someone at least a little bit, but then in the blink of an eye, they do a complete 180 and they drop the façade they’d be using for who knows how long.

 

And then they destroy everything.

 


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So so so sorry it took so blasted long for this to be written. I really don’t have an excuse.

**I’m Okay**

**Chapter Two**

 

Tadashi passed out again when he was trying to be quiet and still when he had felt Callaghan and whoever else was there, look at him. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed since he had fallen asleep for the second time, nor how long it had been since the fire. In his educated guess, it had probably couldn’t have been more than two days, he was slightly hurt from the fire, and very exhausted from the flames heat, so it wasn’t entirely wrong to guess he had been out for at least a day.

 

His brown eyes fluttered open as he awoke this time, and he was slightly relieved at that. He lay there on the concrete ground for a few minutes, staring up at the warehouse looking ceiling before he attempted to move. When he did, his whole left side of his torso felt like _it_ was on fire. He turned his head to look at the damage that had been done to himself from his own momentary stupidness. He was honestly shocked to find himself dressed in a loose button down shirt with some kind of first aid bandages stretched and wrapped around most of his left side.

 

He probably should be a little mortified at the fact that someone partially undressed him, but since they seemed to have only cleaned where he was burnt and hurt then dressed it seemed to override the momentary horrified feeling.

 

Tadashi rested his head back onto the floor and raised his arm to rub the bridge of his nose.

 

Only, he couldn't. His arm wouldn’t move past a few inches off the floor.

 

That immediately got him sitting up and ignoring the flaring pain. He looked down at his right arm to find he was handcuffed to a random pipe running the length of the room.

 

“What the hell?” He grumbled to himself as he twisted his arm around to see if there was any way to get the handcuff off either his hand of the pipe, but it didn’t seem like there was.

 

“Ah, you’re awake.” Callaghan’s voice ran up Tadashi’s spine, had he been a dog or some other animal that could be vicious when need be, the fur along his back would be standing straight up.

 

Tadashi’s brown eyes narrowed at the professor, but he stayed quiet.

 

Callaghan seemed unfazed by the look he was receiving and continued walking closer to the young adult on the floor. “How’s you’re side?”

 

“None of your concern.” Tadashi _barked_.

 

The older male scoffed as if Tadashi just told a horrible joke. “It was just a question, no need to get defensive.”

 

If only looks could kill, Callaghan would have died twice over.

 

“What do you want?” Tadashi hissed as his professor kept stepping closer.

 

“At the moment, I’m trying to check out your burns.” The SFIT professor exasperated with a huff.

 

“Don’t touch me.” Tadashi tried to scoot away from the hands that were trying to ‘help’ him.

 

Blue eyes rolled with annoyance before Callaghan pulled his hands away. “Fine.”

 

“What do you want?” Tadashi repeated.

 

The twenty-one year old didn’t like the smirk that suddenly appeared on Callaghan’s face. It made the young adult try to move away even more. “We just need your help with a few things, they’re time consuming and in a few tight places that we’re-” He trailed off looking for the right word to both lighten the mood and make this sound as small of a deal as he possibly could. “Too old to reach without complications.” He finished with an almost genuine smile, attempting to joke.

 

Tadashi wasn’t falling for it. “Can you please take off the handcuffs?” He mumbled the question.

 

“And risk you running off?” Callaghan raised an eyebrow at the student.

 

The young adult gave him a look that practically screamed _really?_ “That’s seriously a thought that is crossing your mind right now? I can’t feel my left side at the moment, but the second I try to move, it’ll hurt like a bitch. Do you really think I’d attempt to move let alone run off?” He deadpanned. Tadashi was pissed that he was being held here just to work on something Callaghan and whoever were too lazy to work on themselves, but of course the whole ‘seeing your professor steal a showcase invention’ was probably also the reason he sat there, handcuffed to a pipe on the wall.

 

Callaghan didn’t move as he tried to read his former student’s face, looking for any hint of a plan forming in his eyes.

 

While Tadashi seemed to be a ‘goody-two-shoes’, doing whatever was asked of him, going beyond what people expected, he was a damned good liar.

 

And he had Hiro to thank for that; having to lie about how he knew where the teen was when Hiro would be knee deep in the dark alleyways and bot fights.

 

Callaghan looked at him for a few minutes before he gave a roll of his eyes. He was just about to say something but was cut off when the sounds of a heavy door squeaking echoed through the room. Matching sounds occurred from what Tadashi could only guess, was the same door closing before footsteps were heard coming from out of his line of sight.

 

“Awake?” The same voice Tadashi heard earlier asked.

 

Callaghan stood up and walked out of Tadashi’s line of sight as well.

 

The young adult tried so very hard to turn even just a little bit to look at the two people standing behind him. But he just couldn’t force himself to move and put up with the _burning_ pain that would no doubt, accompany the movement, no matter how slow he’d attempt to move.

 

He heard the two _kidnappers_ walk away, whispering in hushed tones. Tadashi strained to hear them, to understand what was being said, but it was fruitless. He couldn’t hear a thing over the ringing in his own ears that he wasn’t aware was there until that exact moment.

 

Tadashi sighed tom himself and leaned his weight against the wall behind him.

 

(---)

 

“Oh good, you’re still awake.” Callaghan’s voice startled Tadashi out of his empty thoughts, causing the latter to jump. The jerk his body made sent little pulses of sharp pain through his entire being.

 

“Can I go home now?” The twenty-one year old spoke through clenched teeth, whether he was clenching his teeth towards Callaghan or trying to ride through the pain he was in, Tadashi wasn’t quite sure.

 

The former professor made a face. “See, that’s the thing,” He started in a condescending tone of voice. “At the moment, no. In the future,” He shrugged. “That’s all contingent on you.”

 

The younger male raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

 

Callaghan walked further into the room, pacing in front of the college student. “At this precise moment, no you can’t go home.” He clarified what was already clear to Tadashi.

 

“I got that.” Tadashi deadpanned. “The second part is what I’m questioning.” The smile that crept onto his professor’s face was not a smile he liked, it raised a large, flashing red flag with an alarm bell in Tadashi’s head.

 

“Here’s the deal.” The robotics teacher stopped pacing in front of his former student, crouching down to be as close to eye level as he could. “We need some help with putting a few things together.”

 

“ _’We’_?” Tadashi still couldn’t place where he had heard the second voice from before, but who ever it was, must have been as involved with this as Callaghan was.

 

“Yes, ‘we’.” Callaghan huffed. “Anyway, we need some help putting a few things together. Now, if _you_ put them together, and they _work_ , we might let you go later.”

 

Callaghan saying ‘might’ did not miss Tadashi. “ _’Might’_?” He repeated one word again.

 

“If you help us, you might leave. If you don’t, you certainly _won’t_ be leaving.” With that, Callaghan stood up and started walking away. “I’ll give you a little time to think that over.”

 

Tadashi sighed. “Can you at least unhandcuff me now?” His arm was killing him; having been kept held up at an awkward angle, it was asleep and sore at the same time.

 

Blue eyes rolled. “Fine.” He had thought about it since Tadashi had asked earlier, and had worried that the young adult was just trying to trick him, but he saw the pain in Tadashi’s face when Callaghan just startled him a little bit ago. The young adult wouldn’t be going anywhere. He slowly walked back over and pulled the cuffs’ key out of his pocket. Tadashi sat as still as he could, muscles tense as he got ready to knock Callaghan over and bolt the second he heard the _click_ of the cuffs and felt the weight being taken off his wrist.

 

Tadashi knocked the back of Callaghan’s legs; throwing his balance off and making the older male fall to the ground. Ignoring the searing pain from his entire left side, he jumped up and ran the best and fastest he could, which turned out to be just slightly better than some kind of zombie running limp-like movement.

 

He ran down hallway after hallway, turning corner after corner, hoping that he wasn’t just running in circles, or squares, and praying that he could find a way out, and get out, before Callaghan or the other guy caught up to him.

 

He didn’t take in too much details of the place he was in, other than it seemed like some kind of warehouse-esque facility. High ceilings with industrial support beams, metal stairs leading to little catwalks that looked like they were made of chain-link fences, and definitely unsafe. The only windows were up towards the top of the walls and made with a frosted glass, so he couldn’t even see anything out of them other than the fact that by the orange sky, it was either evening or early morning.

 

Tadashi was too busy trying to see out a window to realize he ran down a dead-end hallway. “Shit.” He muttered to himself as he started to turn around until something slammed into him, knocking him to the floor, pinning him to the concrete.

 

“You’re fast for someone who’s injured.” Callaghan spoke above him.

 

It’s about time all the years of track Tadashi did in high school paid off.

 

“Now, I was going to give you time to decide if you’d help us or not, but I don’t really feel like being nice right now.” Callaghan said as he put more weight on Tadashi’s back, causing the young man to grind his teeth together in pain.

 

Callaghan took a second to attempt to catch his breath. “ _You_ can either help us,” he paused for what felt like a dramatic effect. “Or we can get your _brother_ in here to help us.” Callaghan smirked when he felt Tadashi freeze up. “He _is_ the one who created the Microbots, he’d know exactly how to make more of them.”

 

Tadashi dropped his head to the floor. He didn’t even have to think about this. Of course he wasn’t going to let Callaghan, who Tadashi thought was a good man, bring his little fourteen-year-old brother into this.

 

“Fine.” He breathed out. “I’ll help.”


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies this is so late. I haven’t been in the best frame of mind to write, I probably would have made it really angsty and tragic… though that might have worked with this story.. Anyway an old friend of mine passed away this week. I hadn’t talked to him since I left my high school a number of years ago.   
> So my apologies this wasn’t done sooner. 
> 
> And oh my word. English Grammar is so weird; ‘high school’ is two words, but apparently ‘schoolwork’ is one word…. I’m almost 21. You’d think I’d know this. BUT I DON’T!

**I’m Okay**

**Chapter Three**

 

 

Tadashi didn’t really sleep that night, not that he really could even if he tried. He was chained to the pipe on the wall again, and sleeping against a wall really isn’t comfortable. And there was also the pain he was in. He really didn’t think yesterday through at all. His entire left side was burning, it got so bad at points during the night, or day he still wasn’t quiet sure, that it hurt to even breathe to hard. Every time he’d start dosing off, he’d slouch a bit and he’d lean to one side, that movement alone would make him jerk awake from the pulsating pain. Then the jerking would make him even more awake and alert.

 

He finally gave up on sleeping after a while.

 

_How could I have been so stupid?_ That thought was on a repeated loop in his mind. Tadashi liked to think of himself as a good guy. He was nice, friendly, tried to assist anyone who needed a hand for a moment. His schoolwork was never, ever late reaching the professors’ hands; he always cleaned up after himself when he used the labs- never leaving parts or papers anywhere that wasn’t his designated lab space.

 

And this is how fate repays him? By attempting to help his professor, a long term mentor to not just Tadashi but a whole slew of robotics enthusiasts and inventors, out of a fire and winding up getting himself kidnapped by said professor and some other person Tadashi has yet to put a face and name to the voice.

 

_Maybe I should stop being so damn nice._ Tadashi continued thinking to himself.

 

He wasn’t sure how long he sat there; alone with his thoughts, until he heard someone approaching the area he was in. The only thing of the layout he got of the building he was in was that there was a hallway outside the room his was tethered in. And by the sounds of it, either there was two people approaching, or someone decided to have four feet.

 

He didn’t have to wait too long before he could make out Callaghan’s voice, like he was talking to someone.

 

_“We’ll get it up and running soon.”_ Tadashi heard the former professor say.

 

_“We can’t wait too long.”_ The same familiar voice replied. _“We can get caught at any moment.”_

 

The two people came into view of Tadashi, but somehow Callaghan managed to always be in between Tadashi’s line of sight and who ever was with the robotics legend, concealing the other’s face and identity from the young adult.

 

“Won’t be too long.” Callaghan told the other male before looking toward Tadashi.” Will it?”

 

The twenty-one year old just glared at the older man.

 

“You know how to make those Microbots, yes?” The man asked, leaning against the frame of the entryway, the other person walked away, continuing on the same way they were going.

 

He hesitated, but Tadashi shook his head. “Not exactly.”

 

The former professor looked at him for a moment.

 

For a heartbeat’s time, Tadashi thought he’d said the wrong thing. And even though Tadashi ‘agreed’ to help with whatever this was, a frantic thought popped up and he was afraid that Callaghan would bring Hiro in since it was obvious, now, that Tadashi didn’t know how to actually recreate the bots.

 

“Interesting.” Was the only thing the professor said before he turned to walk back out. “I’ll be right back.” He told Tadashi.

 

The older man didn’t come back for a good hour or so. And by that time, Tadashi was on the verge of an actual heart attack.

 

“Didn’t mean for that to take that long.” He told the young man on the floor. “Here.” He tossed a little container to his former student.

 

While it landed in his lap, Tadashi didn’t move to touch it. Instead, he looked at it then to his professor.

 

Callaghan rolled his eyes, something Tadashi never saw him do; this was beginning to show just how short of a fuse the older male had, he deserves an Oscar for how patient he acted at the school. “It's a soothing, anti-biotic cream.” He bluntly stated. “For your burns.”

 

Tadashi knew he should put it on, he didn’t want the burns to get infected or anything, but the last thing he wanted to do was use something this _man_ in front of him gave him. He gave Callaghan a look before kicking the jar off his lap.

 

“Fine. Don’t use it.” The former professor shook his head. “Come on.”

 

It took the two a while for Callaghan to unhook Tadashi from that blasted pipe the young adult was growing more and more to hate, and the two to walk down a maze of hallways to what seemed like the other side of whatever kind of building they were in. The elder of the two having to practically drag the younger most of the way, the poor young adult burnt leg couldn’t support his weight _and_ walk for more than a few feet at a time. Tadashi was partially surprised his former role model didn’t just pick him up and toss him over his shoulder since Callaghan seemed so impatient.

 

Eventually they made it to wherever their destination was when Callaghan pushed Tadashi into a room, smaller than the one he was in, but this one had a door, and it looked pretty intimidating. The elder led the younger adult to a table in the corner, right underneath the only light that was in the room.

 

“Sit.” Callaghan commanded.

 

And since he wasn’t in a place to disobey, Tadashi did as he was told.

 

He watched as Callaghan dumped a few things on the table in front of him. A few of Hiro’s Microbots tumbled out of the small box as well as a few tools.

 

The twenty-one year old raised an eyebrow, questioning what the professor was doing.

 

“You’re going to make more of these.” Callaghan stated, picking up one of the tiny project pieces and dropping it in Tadashi’s hand. “Reverse engineer it; since you don't know how to make them, apparently.” He sounded as if he didn’t actually believe that Tadashi didn’t know _exactly_ what went into his little brother’s creation.

 

Tadashi looked like he was going to reply to that, but he instantly shut his mouth when he actually started to think of the consequences of telling Callaghan that he also didn’t know how to reverse engineer _anything_ , let alone a complex piece of tech. He’ll just have to figure it out on his own, he knew the basics of it, had read about, hell Callaghan even _taught_ about it.

 

“What?” The professor snapped when he saw Tadashi wanted to say something.

 

Tadashi shook his head. “Never mind.” He ran his thumb over the Microbot in his hand. “I don’t have much practice with that.” He worded carefully. “It might take a bit.”

 

Callaghan nodded, not verbally answering. He pulled out a small notebook and pen and shoved it into Tadashi’s chest. “Write it all down. I don’t quiet trust you with too many tools at the moment.” He huffed before walking out, slamming the door behind him with almost a sense of _finality_.

 

Tadashi sighed and only hesitated a moment before he got to work prying the covering off the little robot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took me so long to write so little…


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I almost accidentally added this to It'll Be Okay. Haha that would have been a hoot.

**I’m Okay**

**Chapter Four**

 

Tadashi’s back ached. Just exactly how long had he been bent over that little table, disfiguring his brother’s invention so he could figure out everything that needed to be in it to reverse engineer the little machine? It had to have been days if the cramp in his upper back when he was curved over the notebook and small screwdriver, and the aching in his lower back when he was laying down said anything. 

 

_Okay, that wire_ has _to be placed there, or it won’t work._ He thought to himself as he made a note of it on the paper, drawing a little diagram so whoever, be it he or Callaghan or whoever that other guy is, was rebuilding the Microbots would know _exactly_ what Tadashi meant.  _That’s the last thing to go in._ He noted again before he laid the pencil on the desk, the notebook right beside it.

 

“Done.” He sighed to himself and sat back in the little chair. He never realized hos reliant he was on computers and softwares to map out everything he needed until right then. Had he just been at SFIT, he would have put the Microbot into the 3D scanner, got everything he’d need to know – information, wires, metals, specific locations things had to be placed and in what order – everything would have been typed out in plain English for him.

 

Now it’s written down in that chicken scratch he called his handwriting on a ripped notebook paper.

 

_Oh goodness, what if they can’t read his writing?_ He suddenly questioned himself. He sat back up and gently ripped the pages out of the notebook and began the tedious process of rewriting everything so it would be legible for whomever; even Tadashi himself would admit that a few times, sometimes, okay most of the time, he couldn’t read his own writing. If _he_ can’t read his writing, it was a sure fire thing that no one else could read his writing.

 

Rewriting didn’t normally take him very long though, so he wasn’t going to complain.

 

He had just put the pen down for the second time that day, when Callaghan walked in.

 

“Did you finish it _yet_?” The older man practically spat the word out, punctuating the sentence with a forceful lean against the doorway, daggers being shot at the younger male from blue eyes.

 

Tadashi nodded and pushed the neatly written pages toward his former professor. He wasn’t going to say it, nor was he going to show it, but he was actually pretty proud of himself. He’d never really pulled something apart so he could learn how to put it back together and copy it; whenever he ripped something up, it was for a part he needed. He didn’t think it took him as long as he thought it would.

 

Callaghan leaned over to skim through the paper. “It’s about damned time.”

 

Okay, a little less proud now.

 

“It only took you a week.” The robotics professor continued.

 

_That’s still not that bad. First time reversing something._ Tadashi mentally tried to pat himself on the back while in front of him Callaghan was tearing it apart.

 

Callaghan didn’t stay in the room very long, just grabbed the notebook and little pieces of Microbot and left, pulling the door closed behind him with a little more force than was necessary and leaving Tadashi to his own devices.

 

At least he could get up and walk around in this room, he hasn’t been chained to a pipe, but his entire left side still _burned_ whenever he moved so he wanted to keep from moving as much as possible.

 

But at least he had the _option_ to move around.

 

There was a little cot in the far corner of the little room that he’d used to sleep on for, evidently, the past week while he worked on the Microbot. He had to motivate himself to get up from the chair he was in and make his way over to the cot, clenching his teeth to the point where he felt his jaw pop while he tried to ignore the pain that seemed to radiate and pulsate sharper and sharper the more he moved.

 

_Well, duh!_ His mind mentally scolded. _This isn’t arthritis; it’s not going to get better the more you move! You were burned in a fire. A. Fire._ He rolled his eyes at himself when he finally made it to the cot.

 

He lay there gasping for breath as he tried to compose himself, even just a little bit, as profanities were mentally cursed and mumbled under his breath. When the pain subsided a bit, he reached under the flimsy piece of camping furniture to grab the little canister of cream his teacher had tossed to him days and days ago. The second day of working on the Microbot, Tadashi had broken down and used the soothing cream on his shoulder when it hadn’t stopped _burning_. And even though he didn’t want to admit it, especially to Callaghan, the cream did help. A lot.

 

It didn’t take him very long to put some of the cream where it hurt him the most, or where it looked more serious and prone to some kind of infection. He wasn’t sure of Callaghan would give him another jar if he ran out. So sparingly, he would use. He sat it back down on the ground just under the cot and leaned back to stare at the ceiling.

 

_I want to go home._ He thought to himself as he stared into the darkness of the corner above him. _I want to go home and argue with Hiro about botfighting._ He would honestly rather walk the dim and dark alleyways of the lower west side of San Fransokyo; the same place where botfights were a normal nightly activity, the same place where Tadashi would drag his brother away from on the back of his moped, than be stuck… where ever he was.

 

_He better not be bot fighting!_ Was Tadashi’s last conscious thought as he drifted off to sleep for the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not the longest, I know, I’m sorry. Next one should have more action and a little bit of drama and Tadashi being… well, Tadashi.


	5. Chapter Five

 

**I’m Okay**

 

**Chapter Five**

 

Callaghan’s mind must be slipping; kidnapping people to do the evil deeds you need done must do that to one’s mind.

 

The former professor didn’t lock the door to the room Tadashi was in.

 

And how the young adult stumbled upon that must have been a miracle from above. One minute Tadashi was just trying to move around a little bit, gently stretch the aching muscles he possessed, and the next thing he knows, he’s stupidly reaching for the door handle. And he then had the audacity to stand there in the open doorway with a shocked expression on his face for a number of minutes before his mind told him to quietly run.

 

And that’s how Tadashi found himself sneaking around the warehouse, because that’s what it was, staying as in the shadows as he could. He was careful not to actually touch anything, afraid the object would move, make a noise or do something else that would draw attention to himself.

 

There was a faint glow coming from around the corner. He stuck as close to the wall as he could as he inched forward, slowly peeking around the corner to see a frosted glass encased room. He glanced all around himself, trying to see if Callaghan was around before he limped forward, curiosity getting the best of him.

 

When he reached the room, he leaned close to the glass to see through it. Robotic machine arms moved side-to-side as they worked on something, what exactly, Tadashi was quite sure. He stepped to the side to look around the corner and saw a very small conveyor belt and Microbots being dropped into garbage cans.

 

_So that’s how they were going to remake them._ He thought to himself as he walked around, noting the dozens more cans behind everything, already full of the remade bots. _Why does he need so many?_ Tadashi continued to question in his head, hoping that soon he’d know.

 

That’s when a large bulletin board caught his attention. Red string was tied to thumbtacks holding up newspaper clippings, internet printouts  and other things over a large map of San Fransokyo.

 

He stepped closer, trying to connect anything on the board together. _What in the name of-_

 

“Oh no.”

 

Tadashi jumped and ninja rolled behind some kind of table off in the shadows when he heard the random voice. The young adult could hear his heart beating furiously in his chest; it was so loud to him that he swore if anyone were to walk by, they could hear it. He held his breath and listened.

 

Very faint footsteps are all he could hear.

 

He looked around himself to try to find a different place to hide, because really, cowering under a table was not the best choice. The only other place he could see to hide behind that was slightly better than where he was was behind a corner.

 

Taking the chance, he dashed out from under the table to behind the corner, just in time to stay out of eyesight of someone walking up to the glass room.

 

“-microbots?” A very familiar voice reached Tadashi’s ears.

 

_HIRO?!_

 

Tadashi peeked around the corner and sure enough, Hiro was standing there, taking in the fact that someone was remaking his Microbots.

 

“Hiro!” Tadashi oh-so-quietly whispered. He needed to get Hiro’s attention. He needed to get Hiro out of there. He needed to get them _both_ out of there. “Hiro!” He called a half-notch louder. 

 

Still the teen didn’t hear him.

 

“Hiro!” Tadashi tried again, even louder, but unfortunately someone else called Hiro’s name.

 

_Is that Baymax?_ The college student was completely dumbfounded. His little brother and Tadashi’s college project were standing in the warehouse.

 

_Still in San Fransokyo then._ Tadashi mused to himself as he started to creep closer to Hiro and Baymax.

 

Suddenly a metal, metallic sound resounded in his ears, and Tadashi looked over just in time to catch some whack job dressed in black with a menacing trench coat control the Microbots that were already made. The little bots rose up in the air, creating a wall of themselves before going after Hiro and Baymax.

 

“No!” Tadashi scrambled to do something, anything.

 

“Come on!” Hiro’s voice reached Tadashi over the sound of the Microbots.

 

“I am not fast.” Baymax calmly stated.

 

Tadashi missed Hiro’s response as he was too busy trying to sneak behind the crazy with the neurotransmitter. _Note to self._ Tadashi began thinking. _Make Baymax move faster. It would probably be beneficial._

 

The young adult stayed in the shadows, moving whenever the person’s back was to him. But he had to move quick; quick and quiet while also alert. Alert for Tadashi’s own self, and alert of Hiro and Baymax. If need be, Tadashi would jump right out and stand between his little brother and the invention being used for most likely not good deeds.

 

The little chase led Tadashi to standing on a very dangerous and unstable looking catwalk right behind the guy going after Hiro.

 

“Come on! The window!” Tadashi watched Hiro pull Baymax up and push him towards a window.  He also observed the two struggled to get Baymax out and the Microbots getting closer.

 

Tadashi took in a deep breath before he jumped on the person behind the weird mask, effectively taking the person’s full attention off of Hiro.

 

The person was obviously not expecting Tadashi and the two fell to the floor of the catwalk in a heap, the little bridge way swinging very precariously, along with the Microbots falling to wherever.

 

“What are you doing out?!” Callaghan’s muffled voice reached Tadashi’s ears as the two wrestled to get the upper hand. The younger male looked toward the window just as Baymax looked up and let go of the frame.

 

And for half a second, Tadashi was pretty sure Baymax saw him. _Of course he saw you! Hyper-spectral cameras! He’s scanned you. He could pick you out from a crowd of hundreds of people._

His momentary mental sidetrack cost him the upper hand of the little tussle he and who he could only guess as Callaghan, were having. 

 

“You were just attacking a kid!” Tadashi yelled back in response. “Why would you do that?” He tried to push his teacher off of him, but the man weighed more than he seemed he would.

 

“Don’t get in my way again, mister Hamada.” Callaghan pushed the mask off his face as he held his former student down.

 

_At least Hiro got away._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Tadashi is here.”
> 
> Not the longest, I know I’m sorry. This was actually suppose to be part of the pervious chapter, but I got to lazy and impatient to wait for me to write this, so I posted that chapter and now here’s this one. 
> 
> Hey quick question, how is my writing shaping up? Like, have I improved with detail writing? Or am I just kidding myself?


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nope, didn’t forget about this story, this chapter was just being a bitch and argued with me to the point where I have 12 different drafts of this chapter all with different content even though the plot of the chapter is the same….

**I’m Okay**

**Chapter 6**

Tadashi was locked to the same blasted pipe we first woke up next to. Apparently, the lock in the room he was in was broken or something, and since he evidently ‘couldn’t be trusted’ he was back next to the pipe until Callaghan got the lock fixed.

 

“ _Yeah, I’ll go over and get it_.” Tadashi heard Callaghan’s hushed voice from around the corner.

 

“ _Great. The sooner we get started, the sooner we can finish._ ” The same familiar voice answered.

 

Tadashi was getting tired of not knowing who this other person was, if both were involved with Tadashi having to sit there handcuffed to a damned pipe, he should have a right to know who the other guy is. Tadashi was pretty sure he has talked to the unnamed person before, or at least heard him speak.

 

The twenty-one year old huffed and leaned his head back against the wall behind him.

 

“ _Fixed the lock.”_ The familiar voice commented.

 

“ _It better not break again.”_ Callaghan muttered as him and the man he was talking with got closer to where Tadashi was.

 

The second guy mumbled something that Tadashi didn’t catch. “ _You go do that, and I’ll take him back to the room.”_ The man spoke as if they had some kind of elaborate game plan they were getting ready to follow through with. Which was probably true, they obviously had enough of a plan to know that they would need Tadashi at some point.

 

But now at least maybe Tadashi will know who else is keeping him there, that’s a tad bit of morbid curiosity.

 

The air fell quiet and still around him for a few moments time before he heard footsteps again, louder and closer this time, coming right towards where he was. In the time that Tadashi had spent there, he had come to recognize his captors’ footfalls. Callaghan always seemed to be in a rush and in a very pissed off mood, his footsteps tended to be heavy and quick, like he was stomping off to somewhere. This other guy tended to be more of a ‘smell the roses every now and then even if we have somewhere to be in five minutes’ kind of person; always seeming to take his leisurely time going from point A to B when ever Tadashi heard him near, quiet and sure of himself.

 

Tadashi expected a calm, cool, and all together person come around the corner, but instead Allistar Krei stood in the middle of his field of vision. He was not who Tadashi was expecting to be standing there; especially when it seemed that Callaghan hated the man so unbelievably much, that if he could, Callaghan would have glared daggers and killed the man with a sideways look. So for the two of them to be working _together_ on something…

 

It wasn’t going to be a good end result.

(---)

 

Krei didn’t say much of anything other than a few half-assed apologies when Tadashi struggled to keep up with the surprisingly fast pace the man was trying to lead Tadashi with. And it didn’t take Tadashi long to be shoved back into the room he was in the day before and the door slamming with a sense of finality that tended to sound from the _thud_ of the metal door meeting the frame and the _click_ of the lock.

 

(---)

 

 

Tadashi leaned against the wall as he sat across from the door in the room. The light was shut off and the young adult was once more in the silent dark, not sure how much time had passed since Krei, because he’s somehow involved in this, locked him in.

 

 He was thankful back at home, he never really had a quiet moment; there was always some kind of noise. Either Hiro working on something late into the night, the window being open letting the noise from the street seep in, his aunt humming something as she tried out new recipes for the café, or even just Mochi getting into something or knocking something over. It was never silent. And he couldn’t wait for the possibility to go back and never have another silent moment.

 

He was also thankful that Hiro, though the young would never ever admit to it, was slightly afraid of the dark so there was always some kind of night light in every room.

 

To give himself something to do, something to take his mind away from the waiting and anxiety of finding out what was going to happen to him next, he would rhythmically drum his hand against his leg, or the floor or whatever his hand just happened to be resting against; to beats of his favorite songs, or Hiro’s, or his aunt’s, or even to the scores of superhero movies Fred would always hum when he was in the lab.

 

He was just in the middle of the Iron Man theme song when the door swung open.  Tadashi jumped at the sudden action.

 

Callaghan stood there, some kind of bottle in his hand, as he looked at his former student and he flipped the light on. “You’re going to help me with something.” His voice was kind of slurred. He stumbled a little as he made his way over to the twenty-one year old captive. Callaghan reached down and pulled Tadashi up by his shirt collar when the young man made no attempt to move.

 

Other than slowly walking, Tadashi made no other attempt at resisting, his shoulder still aching from the scuffle a few _hoursdaysweeks_ ago, the concept of time was lost on him now.

 

Now beside the former professor, he could clearly understand why Callaghan slurred and why he couldn’t walk in a straight line. The scent of alcohol hit Tadashi like a tidal wave, he was only walking next to the man and he could almost start looking for a lampshade to wear.

 

They finally stopped walking when they reached a spacious room, similar to the size of a gym.

 

“This is a portal from a project Krei,” Callaghan hissed the name between his teeth, “started years ago, Silent Sparrow they had called it.” He motioned to the almost put together circular machine. “I’m having issues rewiring it and programming it.”

 

Tadashi gave the vengeful man a look. He remembered reading something about the project when he was younger. It was supposed to be a teleportation machine. It had worked when they would toss different objects into one portal and a few seconds later they came out the other one. Then something went wrong when they were demonstrating it to a group of government officials. The pilot got lost in between the two portals, some kind of margin number was off or miscalculated; one portal exploded, the other started pulling things into it before it was shut down and destroyed.

 

“And just what do you want me to do about it?” Tadashi snapped, already knowing what Callaghan wanted him to do.

 

Callaghan turned to look at the young man beside him. “I’ve seen your coding, and your wiring. I want you to fix it.”

 

He had a feeling that what he was about to say was going to land himself in deep trouble. “No.” Tadashi simply stated as he felt himself tighten up, ready for some kind of physical violence that seemed to happen whenever he tried to refuse to fix something. “This was shut down for a reason.”

 

He was expecting Callaghan to punch him or push him closer to the portal; he wasn’t prepared for Callaghan to slam him against a wall and press an arm harshly against his throat.

 

“I am in no mood for these little games you try to play, mister Hamada.” The teacher growled. Callaghan was smarter this time, standing off to the side to avoid being kicked when Tadashi tried to get the arm off his airway.

 

“Too bad.” The twenty-one year old managed to rasp out, sound barley making past his lips. He tried his damn hardest to pry, to pull, to push the offending appendage off of him as spots danced in his vision – even though his eyes weren’t open anymore.

 

Tadashi could smell the alcohol on Callaghan’s breath when he spoke next. “It’s not up to you. You’re either going to fix the codes and wires,” He paused for a moment, loosening his hold on the former student as Callaghan pulled something out of his pocket, in one swift movement, he had the object out of his pocket, opened and pressed against the underside of Tadashi’s jaw.

 

Tadashi didn’t even have to see what it was when he felt the cold metal pressed against his skin, dangerously close to an artery.

 

“Or I could just end your miserable existence.” Callaghan muttered darkly into the petrified male’s ear.

 

Too bad his brain and his mouth weren’t on the same page at that precise moment. “Then you’d have to do this on your own.” Tadashi stupidly mumbled. Really, he should just shut up and do as he’s told _not asked because that’s not in whatever evil-doer’s handbook Callaghan’s been reading_. _I should stop hanging out with Fred so much._ His thought’s got sidetracked as he tried to somehow think of a way out of the current situation.

 

The chuckle that the former professor let out made chills run down the Hamada’s spine, and somehow, even more fear crept into the young adult’s bones. “Ran into your little brother and your friends yesterday.” The man spoke in a way that was so calm, as if they were chatting over coffee.

 

The robotics student saw this conversation going two ways; one way would be hanging Hiro’s life over his head to get Tadashi to fix the portal; or getting Hiro in there and holding Tadashi’s life above the young teen’s head. Both were not good scenarios.

 

“You’re brother is very annoying, don’t you agree?” Callaghan continued.

 

Tadashi finally cracked his eyes open to look at the demented man next to him. “Nope.”

 

That raised an eyebrow on the drunken middle-aged man. “Really? You, an older brother do not find your younger sibling annoying?”

 

Of course Tadashi did. All younger siblings annoy their older sibling, its in the handbook; just like being protective of the younger is in the older’s handbook. But Tadashi wasn’t going to agree with a crazy man! “Nope.” He repeated, voice surprisingly strong and unwavering despite his growing fear.

 

“Hmm.” The man hummed. “That’s different. Anyway, you can either fix this portal,” He flicked the pocketknife to point at the broken machine before pressing it back to the young man’s neck. “Or you’ll be going home in a body bag.” He pressed the weapon a little harder into the soft flesh beneath the sharp edge.

For a moment, as cliché as it was, Tadashi swore his life flashed before his eyes. And the look Hiro had given him as he pulled out of the fourteen year old’s grasp was the last thing to flash through his mind before Tadashi decided to take the crazy train.

 He looked Callaghan in the eye as he mentally formulated a plan, of course, it wouldn’t be a _very good_ plan. But a plan nonetheless.

“So what will it be?” Callaghan slightly slurred.

 Tadashi took in a deep breath turned his head to the side to get a better view of Callaghan’s face before he spit in it, throwing his former professor off.

 Callaghan let go of the young adult in favor of letting out a sound of disgust and to wipe his face.

 

While the newly-named evil man was distracted, Tadashi swiftly pushed the older man in the chest, knocking him back and dropping the knife in the process.

“Robert!” Krei’s voice suddenly chose that moment to gloriously pierce through the air. Callaghan slightly pulled the knife away from where it had been pushing lightly against Tadashi’s neck.

 

Tadashi let his head fall back to the ground and a sigh of relief slip inaudibly past his lips.

 

“I think it’s time for you to get some rest.” Krei walked over, almost slowly, and gently pried the older male off the student. “You’ve been up far too long, and I’m getting the feeling that you’re not thinking completely clear right now.” He glanced at the life-fearing young man on the ground when he got Callaghan up. “You go on home now.” He ushered the man out of the room before hauling Tadashi up off the cement ground.

 

“I’ll, uh, I’ll get working on the, uh, the thing.” The twenty-one year old motioned to the portal pieces across the room, hand visibly shaking in the process.

 

Krei looked at him for a passing second before nodding and walking toward the small-connected room. “We don’t have all week. Hurry up and get it done.” Was all the older male said as he disappeared out of Tadashi’s spotty line of sight.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter….. this blasted chapter….. Just ignore this chapter. It didn’t want to be written, I should have respected it’s decision. So uh, don’t judge the horrible writing and bad cover up writing as I tried to move things along. I don’t want this story to be as long as the other two, chapter wise, and word wise… I guess.   
> Just ignore this chapter.


	7. Chapter Seven

**I’m Okay**

**Chapter Seven**

 

 

He felt like he was moving. Only, he wasn’t; at least he didn’t think he was. Why was his mind so unbelievably foggy and slow? More and more questions formed in his mind but his mouth wasn’t cooperating with him, he couldn’t voice any of them. What the hell was going on?

 

He attempted to move, but his body was just a lead-heavy as his mind.  He couldn’t even open his eyes, eyes he had no recollection of closing. One minute, Krei was handing him a bottle of water and the next, now.

 

_Wait a minute!_ He thought to himself after an eternity of thinking. _Did they drug me?_ _I distinctly remember having issues opening the cap to the bottle!_ And he did have issues, but that had to do more with the fact that he had machine oil all over his hands from working on a piece of the portal. Had that not been on his hands, the cap would have opened with too much ease, not even that satisfying pop as the temper-evident band sounded. But he had other things on his mind, and hands, to really pay attention to that teeny, tiny detail.

 

He didn’t remember anything after that, safely assuming he blacked out again because when he woke up, he was once more locked in a room, a room that was not the room he was used to. This one was smaller, and the walls were actual cinderblocks and the floor was cold, hard cement, and the little light in the corner was different.

 

Tadashi sat up, slowly, like he was moving through mud and gave the space around him a questioning look. _Where the hell was he now?_

 

He heard noises outside the door to the room he was in. He managed to stand up and make his way over to it, only tripping over himself twice. “Let me out!” Tadashi slammed his fist against the door. He knew Callaghan had to be the one that was out there. “I did what you told me, now let me out!”

 

Silence was the only reply given to him.

 

The twenty-one year old ground his teeth together. This entire thing was getting ridiculous. He did was Callaghan told him to do – he ripped apart Hiro’s Microbots, he fixed the part of the portal he was told to work on. He’s done and he just wants to go home.

 

 “Callaghan, this isn’t funny. Now. Let. Me. Out!” Tadashi tried again to gain the man’s attention.

 

It was shocking to see this side of the former professor. At SFIT, Callaghan was one of the nicest people Tadashi had ever met, he had patience beyond something the student had ever seen, and when a student asked for his help with something Callaghan practically dropped whatever he was doing and assisted them.

 

Its funny when you think you know someone, at least on some level beyond acquaintance, and half a heartbeat later, they’re turning the world upside down and taking you hostage with it.

 

There was a click and the door swung open; for a moment, a small ray of hope shined in Tadashi’s mind, thinking maybe, he would be let out. But it quickly died when Callaghan stood there, just a few inches taller than Tadashi, glaring at him.

 

Before the student knew it, a hand was wrapped around his throat, and was pinned to a wall.

 

“If you don’t shut up, you won’t be leaving at all.” The older man growled, tightening his hold on the Hamada.

 

Tadashi struggled to pull the man’s hand off his neck, desperately needing oxygen. When he couldn’t pry the hand away, he decided to kick out, hoping to knock the grown man off of him. It took a few kicks, but he was finally able to hit something that should only ever be treated nicely. Immediately, both former professor and student dropped to the floor – one trying to catch his breath, and the other one trying to breathe through pain.

 

“Don’t. Touch. Me.” Tadashi rasped out, _fire burning_ in his brown eyed glare.

 

The sound of someone clearing their throat caught both men’s attention.

 

Krei stood in the doorway, raising an eyebrow at the two on the floor. “I hate to break up whatever fight you two are having at the moment, but Robert, we have an issue that you need to go take care of.”

 

There was something in the way the Krei said that that raised a flag in Tadashi’s mind.

 

“And what,” Callaghan groaned as he tried to sit up. “What would that be?”

 

Krei glanced over at Tadashi, who was pushing himself as far away from Callaghan as he could get. “There are some visitors that have just arrived that are looking for you.”

 

Callaghan let out a huff before pushing himself off the floor and almost crawling out the door.

 

“I would be quiet, if I were you.” The tech giant advised Tadashi before he closed the door, leaving Tadashi alone once more.

 

(---)

 

Tadashi was fast asleep when he was roughly pulled off his cot.

 

“Th’ hell?” Tadashi mumbled as he tried to wake up and walk at the same time. “Le’ go!” He tried to pull out of whoever’s grasp.

 

“Be quiet!” Callaghan’s voice rang in his ear, waking Tadashi up. “Had a mishap with the portal. You’re going to fix it. Again.” The man spoke through clenched teeth, his hand digging painfully into Tadashi’s arm as he was yanked down the hallway.

 

Tadashi didn’t argue this time; flashes of last time appeared in his mind, and the way Callaghan spoke – something told the young adult not to challenge the professor at the moment. “Okay.” He muttered as he tripped.

 

“Good.” Was all the older man said.

 

Tadashi didn’t have to do much to the actual exterior of the portal he’d been fixing, it was mostly internal stuff that had gotten damaged, like some kind of chemical had been on it; but Tadashi wasn’t going to question anything at the moment, Callaghan had been stomping around while Tadashi had been working, not leaving the Hamada by himself for a second. And the recently named villain kept muttering to himself under his breath, things Tadashi couldn’t quite catch, but he did hear ‘damn kids’ quite a few times.

 

When he had gotten done repairing the exterior, Callaghan let him work on the internal stuff back in the room he’d been locked in, the only things he had to fix was a motherboard looking thing with a bunch of wire and possible places to connect them.

 

And he wasn’t having the easiest time on it either. While the first time he fixed the part of the portal he had been told, it only took Tadashi a few days; but by the way Callaghan kept asking, commenting, checking in on the wires, it was taking Tadashi more than just a few days.

 

“Why aren’t you done with those yet?” The sharp, irritated voice of Callaghan came from behind Tadashi.

 

The young man jumped in his chair, nearly knocking over the little table he was hunched over, the laptop on the surface sliding with the sudden movement. He turned to face the former professor behind him. “What?” He tried to keep the fear inside from showing through his expression, but his voice trembled slightly. “It’s a lot more complicated than it looks now.” He tried to defend himself, but ended up mentally face palming; that was just another thing for Callaghan to use against Tadashi and drag Hiro into everything.

 

Callaghan’s face showed indifference, as if Tadashi was nothing but a mere wall in his way; metaphorically, Tadashi was. “One more day, mister Hamada.” He leaned down so he was at the younger’s level. “One more day then I’ll bring your brother in. Move.” He pushed Tadashi out of his way to see the computer screen, checking his former student’s progress, just like the days before.

 

Tadashi looked over the man to see the door wide open. It took him less than a second to decide not to quickly formulate a plan, and just knock Callaghan over and run like a bat out of hell.

 

Silently, the twenty-one year old took in a deep breath, brought his arm up and quickly brought his elbow down just underneath Callaghan’s jaw. Tadashi jumped up, swiftly kicking his former professor behind the knee, the older man losing his balance and trying to stop his fall by grabbing the table. Tadashi took the chance to start running out the door.

 

He wish he would have thought it through at least a little bit, he had no idea where he was, had no idea what this building was. He didn’t know if he was even running towards a way out as he kept turning corners, twisting his way away from Callaghan.

 

Tadashi also wished he had remembered that Callaghan had a military background. But of course that thought didn’t hit him until Callaghan did, both of them sprawling to the floor in a heap of limbs trying to get the upper hand over the other set.

 

A few minutes of scuffle, Tadashi found himself pinned face down to the floor both arms behind his back, Callaghan holding him in place.

 

“That was an even bigger mistake, Tadashi.” Callaghan hissed out between clenched teeth, leaning his weight onto Tadashi to get his point across. He yanked the boy up, pulling on his arms, ignoring the very audible crack that came from one of Tadashi’s shoulders, and smirking at the pained noise that came from the smaller male.

 

While he may be held in a hold that severely limited his arm mobility, Tadashi sure as hell wasn't going back into that room with out a fight. He tried to twist his way out of Callaghan’s hold, and when that didn’t work, he reverted to trying to kick the man.

 

And that didn’t go well.

 

“Would you stop that?” Callaghan snapped when his leg was kicked for the umpteenth time in that hallway. He slammed the young adult into the wall, dazing the poor man. “I’ve had enough of you petty attempts at getting out. We’re on an _island_ , you wouldn’t be able to get off if you tried.” He hissed into Tadashi’s ear. “So stop it.”

 

Tadashi, not truly believing that statement, gave it one last try at bucking out of Callaghan’s hold.

 

That got him knocked out and dragged back to the room.

 

 


	8. Chapter Eight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright you guys, I hate to say this, but this story is about wrapped up. I did mentioned that this story was going to be significantly shorter than the other two.   
> BUT don’t fret young pet!   
> There’s o.n.e more supershortsupersupershort story I have planned. And when I say ‘supershortsupersupershort’ I mean ‘supershortsupersupershort’. It’s literally going to be three chapters, four at MOST.

**I’m Okay**

**Chapter Eight**

 

Tadashi was sort of glad, as glad as one could be in his shoes, that the one supervising him while h worked on the last bit of wiring for the portal was Krei. And surprisingly, at least to Tadashi it was, Krei was the quiet type. You wouldn’t expect that from the way in interviews the man wouldn’t shut up about whatever topic they were discussing. But here Krei was very quiet. So quiet in fact, sometimes Tadashi forgot he was there in the room until the older man would cough or turn a page in whatever he was reading, something to make any sort of noise; and Tadashi would jump three feet high.

 

Tadashi wasn’t really paying attention to what he was doing, just working on autopilot; so the sudden shock he felt in his fingers and the nanosecond of bright blue light startled him more than hurt him; but he yelped in surprise and slight pain anyway.

 

“What did you do?” Krei asked in an almost monotonous voice, not even bothering to look up from his book.

 

The college student was too busy shaking his hand to get the pain out of his shot nerves to answer, but gave the older male a look from where he sat, partially under the portal that was held up on cinderblock and a pulley, much like how a garage holds a car up to work on the underside of it. “None of your concern. The portal is fine.” The young males voice was clipped and sharp.

 

He was tired of this thing the two supposedly enemies had going. Tadashi wasn’t sure how long he’d been with them, but he knew it’d been a while, only going by the fact his hair was getting to the point it was actually in his eyes now. He had always made certain to get his hair cut when it’d start to fall over his face and he’d have to use gel to get it to stay in it’s place. So for it to be long enough to be _in his eyes_ he’d been gone for a while.

 

“Anything you do to that portal is my business, thank you very much.” Krei stated. “Not only because of the fact that it’s mine in the first place, but because I’m in this room watching you because we can’t have you tampering with it.”

 

Tadashi dropped his wrench and pulled himself out from underneath the portal. “How am I supposed to tamper with it?” He sat up and looked at Krei. “Make it only work for a few seconds, give you guys a false sense of certainty that it works?”

 

“The fact you came up with that in two seconds time,” Krei pointed out, “Gives me the hunch that you at least _thought_ about doing something to it.”

 

Tadashi crossed his arms. “I’ve had thoughts yes, doesn’t mean I’ll actually do something to it. I don’t know what you two are planning, and I don’t want this to explode and hurt people, or whatever would happen if this when haywire.” It wasn’t lost on Tadashi when Krei visibly flinched at those words.

 

“It wouldn’t be good.” The older male muttered and tried to get back to reading his book.

 

“What would happen?” The oldest Hamada male asked he treaded gently on the subject, getting a sense that Krei didn’t really want to talk about it.

 

The other man was silent for a long moment, long enough to get Tadashi to think he wasn’t going to get and answer and he started reaching back to grab his wrench.

 

“It’d be pretty hard to not know what happens when the portal malfunctions. It was all over the news years and years ago.” The tech giant finally responded.

 

Tadashi abandoned his wrench once more in favor of facing Krei. “I only know what the papers said. And the fact that I was only nine at the time, I don’t quite remember everything that I read about it.”

 

The middle-aged man sighed and put his book down. “There used to be two, enter one and leave through the other. But one of the portals exploded, so yes, that is a possibility of you tampering with it and it doing that. But the one you’re fixing right now, started _imploding_ on itself and started vacuuming everything around it into the portal.” He rushed to explain. “Lost one of my greatest employees that day.” He practically whispered the rest, more to himself than to the charge in front of him.

 

But Tadashi still heard it. “I’m sorry.” And he was, he’s lost people in his life, people he’d never get back but missed terribly, his parents, a few childhood friends he lost in high school. Even if someone was an employee, it was still hard on one’s mind and heart.

 

“Just,” Krei sighed, “get back to work and don’t tamper with it.” He picked his book up and went back to reading.

 

The young adult sat there for a moment before once again reaching for his wrench.

 

(---)

 

“So, why are you and Callaghan working together?” Tadashi questioned a while later when he moved to work on the other side of the portal.

 

Krei let out an annoyed huff of breath, loud enough that Tadashi could hear from across the large open room. “Because we can.” He stated as if he were talking to a child.

 

Tadashi shrugged it off, he wanted to keep talking, and he hadn’t had much conversation since Callaghan kidnapped him in the fire. “You two seem to really hate each other.”

 

“Your point?” The Krei Tech founder snapped at the younger man.

 

“My _point_ ,” Tadashi began. “Is that you two are being somewhat _nice_ in each other’s presence.”

 

Krei rolled his eyes. “We _are_ capable of being nice, you know.”

 

“Or put on a good charade for years.” Tadashi grumbled to himself.

 

“What was that?” The older male asked.

 

“That’s surprising.” Tadashi answered a little louder. He turned from his work to look over at the man across the room.

 

Krei leaned back in his chair. “And what does that mean.”

 

Tadashi pulled himself out from underneath the portal again. “ _Nice_ people don’t kidnap others.” He motioned to Krei with his head. “ _Nice_ people don’t take others away from their daily lives and force them to put back together a project that the government shut down. _Nice_ people don’t start fires to cover up their theft of a fourteen year old’s showcase project. _Nice_ people don’t do those things.”

 

Tadashi could swear he saw Krei’s eye twitch from where he sat.

 

“I said we were _capable_ of being nice, not that we are nice twenty-four-seven. We’re not _you_.” The insufferable man at the table growled.

 

“Never said you were me.” The younger calmly stated. “I’m just saying if you two _were_ nice, in any sense of the word, you wouldn’t have done this. You two are just great actors.”

 

“Just get back to work.” Krei spoke through clenched teeth.

 

“Why _are_ you two working together?” Tadashi continued his questioning completely ignoring the angry look he was getting from Krei.

 

“That’s not something you need to know.” The pissed off middle aged man stated.

 

The college student shrugged. “Than I guess I just conveniently forgot how to rewire something.” He waved the wire he had been trying to braid back into the panel towards Krei. “I must be sleep deprived. I heard that happens when you kidnap someone _and_ you make them sleep on a cot that shouldn’t even bee qualified for sleeping on.” Tadashi continued to practically taunt. “You know, a pile of bricks would be more suitable to sleep on.” He thought aloud.

 

“Then take a nap on those bricks over there, then get back to work.” The blond snapped.

 

“I’m not working on this portal, or anything else until I get some answers.” Tadashi put his figurative foot down.

 

Krei shrugged. “Then you’re going to be here a while.”

 

“Yeah, so are you.” Tadashi leaned back against the portal and stretched his legs out in front of him.

 

The room fell quiet for a while, Tadashi practically _lounging_ against the portal and Krei angrily staring at Tadashi over the top of his book.

 

“We’re working together because we can.” Krei gave the answer with a frustrated huff. “Now get back to work!”

 

“Why am I here?” Tadashi continued to ask questions.

 

Krei slammed his book on the table in front of him. “You’re here because you know ho to rewire things, you’re here because you knew what your brother put into those Microbots. You’re here because we brought you here. And if you ever want to leave here, you better get back to work.”

 

Needless to say, Tadashi got back to work. A pissed of Krei was actually kinda scary.

 

(---)

 

Tadashi was pretty sure he only got a nap’s worth of sleep in before Callaghan was waking him up and making him finish the very last bit of the portal’s wiring. He would have finished last night, except he really was sleep deprived and almost fell asleep while playing with open wires.

 

“You better get it done. Today.” Callaghan hissed when he shoved Tadashi in front of the circuit board for the portal. “We don’t have time for your silly little games today.”

 

The college student rolled his eyes and moved the multi-layered printed circuit board to where he was working on last night. “Why don’t you guys just automate this; if Krei made this, shouldn’t he still have the schematics?”

 

Callaghan slammed his hand down next to the PCB, startling the young man beside him. “What part of ‘the government shut this down’ do you not understand?”

 

“A simple ‘no, he doesn’t have it’ would have sufficed.” Tadashi quietly commented. “And I know what it means. I was just wondering if he had something that would be more efficient and quick with repairing this.”

 

“Well, we wouldn’t be able to use them anyway, even if he had the original.” Callaghan removed his hand from the tabletop, allowing Tadashi to reach for the soldering iron he needed.

 

Tadashi didn’t say anything else, opting instead to work on the last piece he needed to finish. He knew it wasn’t going to take to long for him to finish solding a few pieces of the board. He had worked on circuit boards before, Baymax having a multi-layered one, so he knew how to go about it and what not; but he never worked on one of this size, or of this importance.

 

“This is the last thing you have to finish, correct?” Callaghan suddenly asked over Tadashi’s shoulder.

 

The college student jumped when he heard the former teacher’s voice behind him. “Y-yeah.” Was all Tadashi could stutter out, he hadn’t realized Callaghan was watching him like a hawk. “I’m almost done though, shouldn’t take much longer.”

 

The older man didn’t verbally reply, but stood where he was.

 

It did take Tadashi a little bit longer than he originally thought to finish, mostly because the sharp blue eyes watching him made him nervous.

 

“I still don’t think you guys should fix this.” Tadashi muttered to himself as he installed the last thing into the side.

 

“It’s a little too late for that.” The older male sharply said.

 

Tadashi gave one final twist of the screwdriver, securing the outside paneling in place. “There. Happy?”

 

“I’m annoyed.” Callaghan replied.

 

The younger male tossed the screwdriver back in the little toolbox. “What are you guys even using it for?”

 

“Things.” The middle aged man retorted. “Things that don’t matter to you. They don’t pertain to you. They don’t concern you.”

 

“It doesn’t _pertain to me?_ ” The slightly shorter male turned to face his once-mentor. “You kidnap me, force me to reverse engineer my little brother’s invention, and force me to rebuild this – almost from scratch, and it doesn’t _pertain_ _to me_?”

 

“No.” The sharp voice Callaghan used went right through Tadashi’s head. “It doesn’t. It involves Krei and myself.”

 

“And Hiro, and SFIT.” Tadashi snapped back. “You two hurt a lot of people just to do,” He motioned with his hand to the room and the portal. “Whatever it is you’re trying to do. You burnt down a showcase hall, costing millions of dollars in damage, stole tech from a kid, kidnapped me. And I’m sure you guys have done other things to cause some sort of havoc to someone since you began all of this.” He stood up a little straighter. “And this doesn’t _pertain to me_?” He looked Callaghan in the eye. “Des it pertain to Hiro? To SFIT? To San Fransokyo?” He paused for a second. “It seems like it to me.” He finished quietly, but not losing the force behind his words.

 

For a fleeting moment, it seemed as if Callaghan deflated. He actually looked as if he were thinking about something. “I just want my daughter back.” He mumbled to himself, but Tadashi still heard him.

 

“I’m sure Hiro want’s his brother back. I’m sure that Cass wants her nephew back.” Brown eyes narrowed. “What would your daughter think if she ever knew what you did?”

 

Blue eyes went from looking at the ground to looking at Tadashi. “My daughter is _none_ of your business.” He growled.

 

Tadashi shook his head.

 

(---)

 

Once again, Tadashi was rudely woken up by Callaghan, though this tie it was a box hitting the young adult in the head and the sounds of something being harshly dropped on his table.

 

“We’re going to be gone for a little while.” The cold voice of Callaghan reached his ears. “Not sure how long exactly. Could be a few hours, could be a few days.”

 

“When can I go home?” Tadashi’s tired voice cracked when he asked.

 

“Don’t know yet.” Was all he got in response before the door shut with more force than necessary, and the light went out in his room.

 

 

 


	9. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Last Chapter.
> 
>  
> 
> (I have also re-ordered the series. It has switched places with We're Okay)

**I’m Okay**

**Epilogue**

_Orange was never a color he wore very often, and there was a reason for that. It made him look older, well, older than he felt. When he wore the color it made him appear as his actual age. Sixty._

_Of course, he was happy; he wasn’t happy that he was currently sitting in a jail cell waiting his trial. And he was sort of mad that Krei wasn’t caught. But she’s alive. Abigail was alive. His daughter was alive, just like he said she would be._

What would your daughter think if she ever knew what you did?

 

Is this what Abigail would have wanted?

 

_He sighed and leaned back to stare at the ceiling from his bunk. He had gotten his daughter back, he hasn’t seen her since those few seconds when he was being pushing into a police cruiser, but he got her back. Alive, breathing, healthy. Back. She was back._

I want my daughter back.

 

Hiro wants his brother back. Cass wants her nephew back.

 

_“Ah, dammit.” He sat up with a huff. “Guard!” He stood up and walked over to the cell bars. “Guard!” He wrapped his hands on two of the vertical bars. He leaned his head against them as he waited._

_The guard made his way to the cell, and took his time. “What?” He asked looking at the prisoner before him._

_“I have another confession to make.”_

_He got his daughter back, it was only fair to give Hiro back his brother, and Cass back her nephew._

_Twenty minutes later, the same police officers that arrested him, the detective in charge of the case, and his lawyer were all in the same room._

_“What now, Callaghan?”_

_The middle-aged man sat back in his seat, a slightly pleased look on his face. “Tadashi Hamada is alive.”_

_(---)_

_The San Fransokyo SWAT team has never gotten ready and took off faster than they did then. Not only was the person they were going to retrieve on a remote, quarantined island, but he was also locked in a room, a room he had been in for the past two weeks._

_They_ had _to hurry._

_“All we know is that he’s in a room and it’s locked.” Officer Sato, the lead of the team said over the sounds of the helicopter blades as they flew towards the island. “It’s nothing but a big maze in there, so we need to split up, cover more ground, but try not to lose your way.” She spoke a little louder than her normal volume of voice._

_When the helicopters landed, they looked everywhere in that building; hallway after hallway after hallway after hallway, every room was checked, opened and unlocked._

_After three hours of searching and researching the entire building, they were about to call into the jail and get Callaghan to tell them specifically how to get to the room they were looking for._

_Until someone found it._

_“Got a locked room over here!”_

_Sato rushed over to the door and gave a small knock on it at the same time saying “Hello?”_

_Half of her mind wasn’t expecting someone to answer her. “Yes?”_

_She instructed him to stay away from the door and immediately had her guys break the door down. They let it crash to the ground as they rushed into the room, two of her team carrying a stretcher._

_“It’s okay, Tadashi, you’re okay.” She gently told him when he seemed to shrink back from everything._

_Took her by surprise when he started laughing a little._

_“Yeah,” He nodded when he sobered up. “I’m okay.”_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys ever so much for reading this.  
> I still have one supershortsupersupershort story to add to this series. Then it's done. (not including any little one shot ideas I get in this little universe I seem to have created.  
> Just a little thing to note, I'm not awesome at actually completing ANYTHING i write. So for me to write this series that began with a one shot of just Hiro having a panic attack, and to turn it into a little series with some odd hundred thousand words (the length of a short novel!!) Is crazy to me. And I really appreciate you all reading it, sticking with me, and putting up with my erratic postings.

**Author's Note:**

> Part of this was something that was loosely touched upon in We’re Okay. The flashback nightmares he had in that story are going to be slightly different to what actually happened. If you’ve ever had something happen then had nightmares about that situation, you probably know what I’m talking about – that the nightmare was a recreation of what happened and your mind can morph things and what not.


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